21 May 2005 To: Bryan Butler , Walter Brisken , Ed Fomalont , Steve Myers , Frazier Owen , Gustaaf van Moorsel , Sanjay Bhatnagar From: Joe McMullin I want to thank you first and foremost for agreeing to take the time to test the AIPS++ software for this first EVLA Offline subsystem test. This test is important for several reasons: 1. Issues identified during the tests will help drive software priorities to develop functionality for EVLA offline data reduction and imaging. 2. This test will grade the science software requirements to determine if the wide field imaging software meets the functional needs for EVLA. 3. Scripts generated during the testing will continue to be used during automated regression/benchmark testing. Two datasets have been chosen which will be processed through AIPS++: - 1046 (Shk 116 region - group of galaxies) at L Band (VLA) - AXAF (also Chandra Deep Field South) Regions at L Band (VLA) The AIPS++ software is in an active stage of development. As you are aware, the current infrastructure, GUIs, and scripting language (all Glish-based) will be replaced, leading to a change in the overall user interface. A prototype framework is being built and evaluated but is not ready to test at this time. Thus, this test will focus only on testing the underlying functionality of the C++ code to determine if it is adequate to meet the needs of the EVLA. This test will use Glish scripting to image pre-calibrated, wide field data sets provided by the EVLA project team. GUIs will only be used when the user must interact with the software (e.g. interactively defining deconvolution regions, viewing the final image and obtaining statistics). Development of the existing Glish-based GUIs that are not essential to the data reduction paths in this test has been discontinued while priorities changed to support the framework conversion and added functionality required for millimeter data reduction. The documentation (both cookbook and on-line reference manual) should be adequate for you to figure out how to proceed with the test (this assumes knowledge of radio interferometry techniques but does not assume experience with single dish + interferometry combinations techniques). Comments on the cookbook and other documentation are welcome. It is expected that this test will take roughly 40 hours or less of your time. The test should begin in May 2005 and will end one month later in June 2005. During this month, the AIPS++ software developers will be available to help you with questions or problems that you may come across. Please do not start the test at the last minute! Be aware that although extensive testing of the software has been done in-house, software bugs may still exist. The developers will do their best to help you through any difficulties, including fixing any bugs and distributing new software if necessary. But they can only provide this support if they are given adequate time. If you find you cannot complete the test by the deadline, please contact me as soon as possible (smyers@nrao.edu). During your testing, PLEASE keep a detailed script of the processing steps you do and your parameter inputs. Example scripts will be provided with the Cookbook. You can use these scripts to guide your reduction and minimize typing (you will just have to change inputs and then cut and paste commands into the Glish command line window). When you complete your testing, please write a report detailing your experiences and any problems that you encountered. Also, please examine the the list of requirements that are being evaluated during the processing. Provide grades for all requirements that you were able to exercise. Data: Testers: ------------------------- --------------------------------- 1046/Shk 116 Frazier Owen Walter Brisken Bryan Butler AXAF Gustaaf van Moorsel Ed Fomalont Steve Myers If you have any questions, issues, problems, please don't hesitate to contact me. EVLA Offline test page: currently under construction http://projectoffice.aips2.nrao.edu/evlatst2.0/EVLA_TST2.0.html